1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to insulation systems for ice rinks and in particular to insulation systems for outdoor ice rinks.
2. Description of Related Art
The immediate and obvious obstacle to establishing and maintaining an ice sheet year round, outdoors, is the heat load on the ice in warm weather and the consequent impractical economic burden. Thus, though the ability to conveniently, and economically continue ice skating activities, at will, through the summer months, without the expense of constructing and maintaining an enclosing structure for the ice rink would be of obvious benefit both to recreational skaters and to professionals, back yard skating rinks are not as prevalent in most areas as are swimming pools or tennis courts.
However, attempts have been made to provide practical outdoor skating rinks which are usable year around. MacCracken (U.S. Pat. No. 3,983,713) reveals a method for creating an outdoor ice slab in summer weather. The method is aimed at reducing radiation heat gain by suspending a layer of aluminum foil over the ice rink at about the same level as is a roof over the rink, and upon painting a layer of the ice sheet white. The method leaves the ice sheet substantially open to the ambient at all times.
An outdoor ice rink is obviously susceptible to being sullied by dust and debris if left open to the ambient. An effective insulation system that also provides a means to cover the ice, significantly reduces this exposure. Further, such a cover, if structurally adequate, also provides a means to put the area occupied by the ice sheet to alternate uses when the ice is not being used. An appropriately designed cover can be an effective barrier to conduction and convection heat loads. At the same time a cover can reduce the radiation heat load on the ice. A cover can thus insulate against all of the heat load mechanisms. In warm, windy weather, a cover may be essential to maintain an ice sheet. Provision of a cover, then, could increase the availability and utility of an outdoor rink both in commercial and in residential applications.
The use of deck-like covers to protect recreational facilities as well as to provided for alternate uses of the area occupied, is revealed in the art related to swimming pools. One such cover is revealed by Barothy (U.S. Pat. No. 4,164,047). The cover is structurally strong enough to support activities such as table tennis, dancing, etc. Barothy's invention is specifically directed towards indoor pools. Nohl, et al (U.S. Pat. No. 4,598,506) reveal a deck-like cover for use with indoor and outdoor swimming pools capable of supporting recreational activities. Swimming pools are typically left open at the surface much of the time. It is not critical to the existence of the pool that an insulating cover be provided. Swimming pools covers are therefore, designed to protect and to have structural strength but are not aimed at providing a significant and specific degree of insulation against heat transfer. In application over an outdoor ice-rink, however, a cover which is not specifically designed to have a high insulation capacity would not serve to establish and maintain the ice sheet.
The patents mentioned above are provided herewith in an Information Disclosure Statement in accordance with 37 CFR 1.97.